MAIZE ? Uncharted territory is disadvantage enough, but adding unfriendly makes the quest even tougher.

Free State High’s baseball team will play today in a state-tournament game for the first time, and the Firebirds will have to do it against tradition-rich Maize in the Eagles’ own backyard.

Game time is 1:30 p.m. at the Maize Sports Complex.

Ironically, the Firebirds, based on the fact they have a slightly higher seed — No. 4 to Maize’s No. 5 — won’t be wearing their road uniforms.

“We’ll be the home team,” Free State coach Mike Hill said, “but you can’t discount the familiarity of the home field at all.”

Maize also has the advantage of playing in its fourth straight Class 6A tournament.

Still, the Firebirds have nine seniors and they know what it takes to win away from home.

Free State high shortstop Matt Berner guns down a Leavenworth batter at first base during a Class 6A regional game. The Firebirds defeated the Pioneers, 8-3, May 23 at FSHS Field, then won the regional title against Lawrence High, 5-1. Free State will face Maize today in the state tournament.

“Their crowd will be bigger,” senior right-handed pitcher Blake Dickson said, “but once you get out there it’s just like another away game.”

Added Matt Lane, a senior right-hander who will start today’s first-round contest: “It’s going to be tough, but we have the mind-set of ‘No excuses.’ I don’t think it’s a matter of where you play, but how.”

At the same time, the Firebirds may have an edge in incentive.

“We’re all very excited,” senior shortstop Matt Berner said. “We’ve been trying to make state for three years now. We just have to remember to play how we’ve been playing and not try to be heroes.”

The Firebirds finished with an 8-13 record last year, bowing in their first sub-state game. But this year they’ve raced to an 18-3 record, losing only to Olathe South by two runs, and to Shawnee Mission Northwest and SM West by one run each.

Free State can score. The Firebirds are averaging 10 runs a game and have five players batting over .300 and three hitting over .400.

Free State pitcher Matt Lane pitches to a Shawnee Mission Northwest batter. Lane will start today for the Firebirds in their Class 6A state tournament first-round game in Maize.

Left-handed hitting junior catcher Ryne Price carries the biggest stick, leading the team in batting average (.500), RBIs (39), doubles (10), triples (5) and home runs (4). Price’s slugging percentage is an eye-popping .971.

Freshman second baseman Robby Price is batting .480 with a team-leading 33 runs scored. Berner also is in the stratosphere with a .462 batting average.

Hill doesn’t have a deep pitching staff, but he does have an ace in Lane, who compiled an 8-1 record with a 2.56 earned run average.

“I think it’s just confidence,” Lane said about his impressive senior season. “We got off to a good start and the defense has been great, so I just throw strikes.”

If the Firebirds win today, they’ll meet the winner of today’s 11 a.m. clash between top-seeded Manhattan and SM West in a semifinal at 10 a.m. Saturday. Sophomore Jake Hoover (3-1, 2.72 ERA) would pitch in that one. Then Dickson (4-0, 3.39 ERA) would hurl in the third-place or championship game later in the day.

But if the Firebirds lose today, their season is over.

¢ 6Sports video: Free State’s Price keeps his hat on straight